Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Rural Infrastructure Assistance Program to help Vermont's small towns access and manage federal and state funding for projects like clean water, housing, broadband, and climate resilience. The program provides direct support services including community needs assessments, funding application assistance, and project management help, with priority given to municipalities with the highest administrative capacity needs. An initial $3 million appropriation in 2024 funds the program, while the bill also directs remaining federal relief funds to prioritize communities with the greatest need based on a new administrative capacity index. Additionally, the legislation amends the Municipal and Regional Planning Fund to allocate 20 percent of its revenue directly to municipalities for planning purposes.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill designates January 23-27, 2023, as the first annual Holocaust Education Week in Vermont. It directly affects Vermont schools and educational institutions by establishing a formal period for Holocaust education activities. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send copies of the document to the Vermont Holocaust Memorial and the Agency of Education to facilitate the event. This commemorative measure recognizes the historical significance of the Holocaust and aims to increase awareness through organized educational programming during the designated week.
Maddy summaryThis bill would restrict how employers in Vermont can use electronic monitoring and automated decision systems to manage employees. It requires employers to limit monitoring to specific purposes like ensuring safety, tracking work hours, or verifying compliance with labor laws, and mandates that monitoring be the least invasive option possible. Employers must provide detailed written notice to employees at least 15 days before starting monitoring, explaining what data will be collected, how it will be used, who will access it, and how long it will be kept. The law also requires annual lists of all monitoring systems in use and allows exceptions for monitoring suspected illegal activity or violations of rights.
Maddy summaryThis bill would remove the current sales tax exemption for prewritten computer software accessed remotely in Vermont, requiring businesses and consumers to pay a six percent sales tax on such software. The legislation defines vendor-hosted software as any prewritten program accessed through the internet or a vendor's server, regardless of how it is delivered, whether access is permanent or temporary, or how it is billed. By repealing the 2015 exemption, the bill ensures that digital software subscriptions and remote access services are taxed the same as other digital products sold in the state. The changes would take effect on July 1, 2024, and apply to both sales and use tax obligations for software accessed within Vermont.
Maddy summaryThis bill increases the reimbursement rate paid to organizations that provide home-delivered meals for elderly and disabled individuals by $2.00 per meal in fiscal year 2024. The funding comes from a $2.3 million appropriation to the Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living, which will be distributed to meal providers based on the increased rate. Additionally, the bill requires the department to submit a report by November 15, 2023, evaluating the Meals on Wheels program and offering recommendations for its long-term sustainability. The changes take effect on July 1, 2023, and directly impact the financial support available to organizations serving vulnerable populations through home-delivered nutrition programs.
Maddy summaryThis bill introduces several employment protections for workers in Vermont, including requirements for pay transparency, anti-discrimination measures, schedule stability, and expense reimbursement. It mandates that employers disclose pay scales to job applicants and current employees, prohibits using past salary information to limit new offers, and requires companies with 10 or more employees to submit gender and race breakdowns of employee compensation to the Department of Labor. The legislation also expands wage discrimination protections to include race and gender identity, requires employers to provide at least 14 days notice of work schedules with specific exceptions for changes, and obligates employers to reimburse necessary work-related expenses. These changes directly affect employers and employees across various industries in the state.
Maddy summaryThis bill proposes changes to Vermont's housing programs to increase funding and expand eligibility for rental housing improvements, primarily affecting private landlords and nonprofit housing organizations. It would amend existing programs to allow grants and forgivable loans for rehabilitating non-compliant units, building new accessory dwelling units, and creating new rental units, with a cap of $50,000 per unit and a requirement for landlords to contribute at least 20% in matching funds or services. The legislation also creates a new Middle-Income Rental Housing Revolving Loan Program to provide subsidized loans for rental developments serving middle-income households, while exempting smaller municipalities from certain zoning requirements and allowing towns to register with state agencies to issue wastewater permits without full state permits. Additionally, it would reduce the number of residents who can appeal zoning decisions from 10 to a lower threshold and exempt certain downtown housing projects from state environmental review requirements.
Maddy summaryThis bill directs Vermont's Agency of Transportation to develop a funding plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and expanding access to efficient, low-cost transportation options. It establishes a working group to study regional climate initiatives and implements a self-funded fee system that charges higher fees for less efficient vehicles while rebating funds to owners of more efficient cars. The legislation also allocates money for electric vehicle incentives, e-bike programs, public transit improvements, and infrastructure updates, while requiring the agency to work with Amtrak and provide training on complete streets design to municipalities.
Maddy summaryThis bill allows Vermont municipalities to install seasonal pedestrian crossing signs in crosswalks from May 1 to October 15 and gives cities and towns the authority to set lower speed limits on state highways within their jurisdictions. It specifically permits cities to establish speed limits between 25 and 50 mph and allows towns with designated downtown or village centers to set 25 mph limits on state roads. The legislation also directs the state Traffic Committee not to raise speed limits on state highways after a municipality requests a reduction, unless an engineering study shows keeping the limit lower would create a greater safety hazard. These changes aim to enhance pedestrian safety and provide more local control over traffic conditions while maintaining state oversight through engineering reviews.
Maddy summaryThis bill expands Vermont's Municipal Energy Resilience Grant Program to include funding for purchasing or replacing equipment that reduces energy consumption, in addition to existing provisions for improving municipal building efficiency and heating systems. The program will provide grants to cities, towns, fire districts, and incorporated villages, with up to $500,000 per municipality for approved energy projects and up to $4,000 for community outreach activities. Funding totaling $45 million will be drawn from the American Rescue Plan Act, with grants prioritized for municipalities facing the highest energy burdens and those lacking administrative support. The Department of Buildings and General Services will administer the program in coordination with Efficiency Vermont and regional planning commissions, which will help municipalities apply and conduct necessary energy assessments.